Oxford, French Restaurant Guide

“Don't expect innovation” at this stalwart – survivor of a now defunct national chain – expect “traditional and soundly cooked French bistro food” that's also “good value for money” (especially the “excellent prix fixe menus”) and comes in “buzzy surroundings” too.

“Quality cuisine in a pleasant north Oxford location with outside terrace” is to be found at Laura and Pascal Wiedermann’s wine bar and dining room. Formerly of highly rated London ventures Racine and Terroirs, it offers a similarly Frenchified mix of (quite rich) cuisine and quality wines. Top Tip: “imaginative and tasty lunch / early evening set menus are cracking value”.

“The gardens are just so stunning and add another level of beautiful to the whole experience”, when you visit this famous, stone-walled manor house, set in very tranquil countryside a short drive from Oxford. It was founded in 1984 by chef-patron Raymond Blanc, who remains at the helm (although nowadays ultimate control resides with brand-owning powerhouse LVMH). For many couples, a visit here remains “the ultimate treat” – especially if it incorporates a stay in one of the enticingly luxurious bedrooms. And the property has long been one of the most commented-on destinations outside London in our annual diners survey, as “you are made to feel wonderfully welcome and looked after superbly in wonderful surroundings”. Much of the seating for the restaurant is in a dining conservatory, with the meal bookended by drinks in the gorgeous lounges elsewhere in the property. The cuisine “maintains a very high, French-led standard”, although there is also a longstanding school of thought that it risks becoming “formulaic” (“dishes had a robotic narrative to their composition”) and “needs some new inspiration to justify the two stars and the prices”. But even if critics of the cooking seemed a bit more vocal this year, the prevailing view here remains that “you pay for a transcendental experience… and you receive one”.